Westlands told hands off excess river water
As flood flows and dam releases follow a series of atmospheric rivers in California, a sea of bureaucracy complicates the ability of water contractors to make use of runoff. This month, the Bureau of Reclamation began releasing water from Friant Dam into the San Joaquin River. But unlike in 2017, when Californians also experienced a wet year, the Bureau of Reclamation and State Water Resources Control Board made excess water available to growers. Even though the water passes through water infrastructure owned and operated by the federal government, permits to deliver that water are still granted by State Water Resources Control Board. Since 2017, the Control Board changed rules that flows from Friant Dam into Mendota Pool could only be delivered to Friant Division contractors.
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